I felt honoured to be finalist in this year’s Calleen Art Award with one of my recent paintings of Sharon Riley. Thanks Sharon, and thanks too to Helen and Patsy for coming for the ride. The opening was really fun to reconnect with some gorgeous people whom I met at last year’s Calleen Art Award and connect with some new people, both artists and Cowra locals – so many interesting beings at every turn. I was won over by the thoughtful and joyful speech about imaginings by the judge John Cheeseman – what a talented professional to see, feel and share so eloquently linkages weaving their way through so many of the works. I was intrigued by the merging of the delicate precision with a little looseness that comes with watery chaos in Tania Mason’s winning work. I loved that she shared her award with the engaged little one by her side. Another work that spoke to me was of the studio space formed in Rachael Miln’s painting. This exhibition and Cowra for that matter is well worth it.

This terrific night came on the back of winning the Winmalee Artfest prize just the night before. I wish to thank all the givers who helped put on and support this exhibition from the dedication and hard work that is so clearly evident in the staff at this school, the P&C volunteers, the students and all the Artfest Angels. This is a terrific community and just one example of the many incredible public schools that we have. It was only one day after pulling down my Wild exhibition in Cowra Regional Art Gallery that five of my works (Where have they gone?, New futures, Eastern quoll (mabi), in the gully, O malleefowl (yunggaay) and Red bag) from this exhibition went on to be hung at the Artfest. I felt an enormous privilege to accept this award for my whole suite of works. Thank you to Tara Moss and Mathew Lynn for your warmth in awarding the prize and thank you to the judges: Tony Nesbitt, Dr Shirley Daborn, Katrina Sandbach and Marina (Grasso) Johnson.